splenic fever

Thân thiện

A veterinarian examines a cow for signs of splenic fever.

Definition

Noun: * A highly infectious and often fatal disease affecting animals, particularly cattle and sheep, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is characterized by symptoms such as high fever, swelling, and internal bleeding, especially affecting the spleen. The disease can be transmitted to humans.

Usage

• The term is a technical and somewhat archaic synonym for anthrax, primarily used in veterinary and historical medical contexts.
• It describes the specific disease state in animals.

Examples

• The veterinarian diagnosed the cattle with splenic fever after several animals died suddenly.
• In the 19th century, splenic fever was a major concern for livestock farmers.
• Research into splenic fever helped scientists understand bacterial transmission.

Advanced Usage

• The name "splenic fever" derives from a key pathological finding: the marked enlargement and darkening of the spleen in infected animals.

Variants and Related Words

• Anthrax (n.): The modern and more common term for the same disease.
• Woolsorter's disease (n.): A historical name for pulmonary anthrax in humans, contracted from handling infected animal wool.

Synonyms

• Anthrax
• Charbon (an older French-derived term sometimes used in English)

Notes on Different Meanings

• "Splenic fever" refers specifically to the disease anthrax. It is not a general term for any fever or infection involving the spleen.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep); it can be transmitted to people

Từ đồng nghĩa

• anthrax